Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, has said he will be investigating what went wrong, after the party had to suspend a member for a series of what it said were "repellent" postings on social media.

Andre Lampitt, who appeared in a recent party political broadcast for Ukip, made a series of derogatory comments about Islam, Africa and Ed Miliband. Mr Farage told ITV News "this guy should not have got through" the party's selection process for local elections.

But he said the party did not have "a monopoly on stupid people" and that all political parties had to deal with similar difficulties at a local level.

He dismissed the suggestion that the scandal meant the party's campaign was falling apart ahead of the upcoming European and local elections.

Advertisement

Andre Lampitt, appearing in a recent Ukip party political broadcast Credit: UKIP party political broadcast

Would-be local election candidate Andre Lampitt has been suspended from the UK Independence Party after he made a series of postings on social media. His remarks were reported to include references to Islam as a "pathetic Satanic religion" and negative comments about Nigerians.

He also claimed that Labour leader Ed Miliband was "not a real Brit... he was only born here" and went on to suggest that Mr Miliband was Polish.

Mr Lampitt appeared in a recent party political broadcast by Ukip, wearing a T-shirt with the logo of his home renovation company.

In the broadcast he said to viewers: "Since the lads from Eastern Europe were prepared to work for a lot less than anyone else, I have found it a real struggle, it is getting hard to provide for my family."

Before his Twitter account was taken offline, he described himself as: "Born British in Rhodesia and proud of heritage sad at how Britain is run."

Nigel Farage has pledged to root out people guilty of "real extremism and nastiness" within the UK Independence Party. The party said earlier it had suspended member Andre Lampitt for expressing "repellent" racist and anti-Islamic views on Twitter.

Ukip has had to defend itself against charges of racism over its European election campaign posters, ahead of the poll on 22nd May. Some forecasters are predicting Ukip will attract the largest share of the vote.

A member of the UK Independence Party that featured in their latest party political broadcast has been suspended for conveying "repellent" racist and anti-Islamic views on social media, the party said.

Andre Lampitt appeared in a builder's hard hat in the Ukip film shown to TV viewers complaining that "since the lads from Eastern Europe" had arrived in the UK and undercut him, he had found it a "real struggle" to provide for his family.

After being made aware of the posts he had made on Twitter, party officials acted swiftly against Mr Lampitt - who is aiming to become a local election candidate.

"We are deeply shocked that Mr Lampitt has expressed such repellent views," a spokesman said.

"His membership of the party has been suspended immediately pending a full disciplinary process."